Page 94 of Give Me Love

“With the cuffs on?” I ask.

“Yeah. She almost broke her neck. Ben stopped her, but not without a few things getting broken. She snatched the IV out of her arm.”

I look back at Kat. Several more people have walked in and a few are sitting and on their laptops now. We can’t talk here anyway.

“I’m on my way,” I say to Lou.

ChapterNineteen

Bryce

“You can’t keep me here!” Mom yells and kicks the TV dinner table, causing her food to fly across the room. I take in a deep breath, trying to control my anger.

“You wanna die?” I ask, walking over to the flipped table.

“I know how much to take, Bryce. I’ve been doing this for a while, son.”

I laugh once. “Have you looked in the fucking mirror lately?”

She looks down.

“Your eyes are red-rimmed and have black circles around them. Your skin is gray and is hardly covering your bones. You look like death itself, and you’re sleeping with men for money. Dad would roll over in his grave.”

Her eyes shoot to mine. “Don’t you dare bring him up,” she seethes. I slam the table back up right in front of her, causing her to move back.

I lean over it, gripping the sides with my hands to keep from throwing the thing myself. I look right into her face as my jaw clenches. “I’ll bring that man up any time I want. He was my father. The one you took away from me, remember?” I say lowly. “And don’t you ever tell me what to do in my own home. You lost that right years ago.”

I walk over to the plate on the floor and pick up the sandwich beside it, setting it back on the table. “Now eat,” I tell her.

“Why are you doing this?” she asks as I take a seat in the chair near the window.

I lift my chin and exhale. “Because for some reason, I still care. Even if all you ever do is hurt me, I can’t seem to walk away.”

She looks down, ashamed.

Wow. She does still have a heart.

I look out the window as the sun fades, thinking back on my childhood. I’d be lying if I said I was doing this completely for her because a big part of me is doing this forhim.

“Why does Mommy leave us so much?” Jace asks, looking up from his toy soldier I got him earlier today.

“She always comes back,” I say.

“Yeah, but she shouldn’t leave in the first place. Other mommies don’t leave.”

I look down at my textbook and sigh. “I know, buddy, but don’t worry about what other mommies do. Besides, you’ve got Dad and me.”

The door swings open, and we both look over at it. Dad leans against the frame, tears streaming down his face.

“Bryce, son. I’m at a loss here,” he says with a fifth hanging from his fingertips. He lifts his free hand and pinches his nose. My eyes dart down to Jace who looks baffled by Dad’s state. I look back at him.

“I can’t find her,” Dad says. He sniffs, and I shake my head slightly. I hate her. My blood boils because look at what she’s doing to us.

“I’ve looked everywhere. She’s nowhere to be found. What if she doesn’t come back?” He stumbles, and his shoulder hits the hall wall. He slides down to the floor and brings the bottle to his lips, draining it.

“I’m nothing without her,” he says. “How am I going to take care of you two alone? Huh? How am I going to do that, Bryce?” He lifts the bottle again and notices it’s empty. He sneers and chunks the bottle down the hall toward the kitchen. I hear it shatter, and Jace starts to cry.

“It’s all right, buddy. Just play with your toy.” I stand and walk toward Dad, shutting the door behind me so Jace can’t see any more of this shit.

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